Here's A Demonstration Of Why Your Old Sports Car Needs A Suspension Upgrade

The 18-year-old suspension components on this 996 Porsche 911 were holding it back, so it's unsurprising to see just how much difference new coilovers, bushes and anti-roll bars made
Remote video URL

Time is not kind to your suspension components. Over the years, bushes will perish, springs will weaken and shock absorbers will degrade. So if you’re running something like this 18-year-old 996 Porsche 911, you should think about giving your suspension a refresh, and maybe even a little upgrade while you’re at it.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that suspension technology has come a long way over the last few decades, and performance cars of yesteryear were on the whole a lot softer. In the case of the 996 - as mentioned in the above video - it was set up to understeer on the limit to make it a little less lairy to drive than its predecessors. So, it’s no surprise that an overhaul featuring things like Ohlins Road and Track dampers makes a massive difference to the way it drives.

Comments

Deoxide

“Its also worth bearing in mind that suspension technology has come a long way..”

Ending up like this.

05/21/2017 - 07:08 |
234 | 6

Ouch😁. Have you heard about the 1st gen Ford Explorers Double I-Beam Front Suspension? That was horrible. There was a blogpost about it on here.

05/21/2017 - 07:23 |
34 | 2

What’s crazy about that is that the result was ignored by Toyota for something like 10 years. They just recently fixed it.

05/21/2017 - 17:02 |
8 | 0
Noah Thorley Images

I’d reccommend these next time you need to replace you suspension:

05/21/2017 - 07:12 |
106 | 0

What contest do I have to enter?

05/21/2017 - 13:24 |
10 | 4
Rand0m_c1tizen (Jon)

I guess I should spring for that suspension upgrade I’ve been meaning to buy.

05/21/2017 - 07:23 |
42 | 4

Well played sir. Well played.

05/21/2017 - 07:52 |
18 | 10
3Fiddy (JDM Squad) (SAAB Squad) (S-Chassis squad)

Old is gold

05/21/2017 - 07:38 |
12 | 4
Anonymous

Yes … you can make an older car better than what is rolling out of the factory now.

05/21/2017 - 09:13 |
2 | 0
🇯🇵WP

ELK TEST

05/21/2017 - 11:17 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

I changed the rack mount bushes, anti-roll bar mount and end bushes with poly ones. Also have Koni red shocks on the front and KYBs on the rear. Made a massive difference to how the car drives. Sharper turn in and less body roll. She’s an 87 SAAB 900 EMS if you’re curious.

05/21/2017 - 11:58 |
6 | 6
Porschephile

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Cool! I love 900s and I think the 1987 one was the facelift year. If I had money to buy a Saab, mine would be a 1977 Saab 99 EMS.

05/21/2017 - 15:50 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Ok ok, enough with this sophisticated suspension and cornering BS . This is the internet, were is my 4000hp Supra that can only go straight, owned by a rich brat and his super hot “girlfriend”?

05/21/2017 - 13:28 |
0 | 4
Harry K

Hey is that where you guys filmed the m3 generation comparison film?

05/21/2017 - 13:44 |
4 | 2

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